Do you ever consider what’s going on in the background when you browse the internet? Don’t worry if the response is negative. You are not by yourself.
Even the best marketers rarely think about the “innovations stuff.” IT experts should only be concerned with a website’s functionality, right?
Sorry, But No.
Your website’s user experience will suffer if it is clumsy or slow. If your website takes longer than three seconds to load, 40% of visitors will leave. Because of this, it’s imperative that you understand how to optimize your page loading speeds and speed up a slow website before you miss out on leads.
Is your WordPress website loading slowly? One possible cause of the issue could be an excessive number of HTTP requests.
Improving the speed at which users can access content and their general online surfing experience can be achieved by reducing the number of HTTP requests made by your site.
Page loading times are important since they have a direct impact on how people feel about utilizing a website or service.
On the other hand, what are HTTP requests? What is the appropriate number for each page? Currently, how many requests are you handling? Hold on, we’ll define HTTP requests, discuss their importance, how to measure them, and how to reduce HTTP requests in this article.
What are HTTP Requests?
Content and data (HTML files, CSS, pictures, videos, etc.) are delivered over the Internet via the HTTP communication protocol. You do realize that a lot of information is hosted on servers and that the World Wide Web is a vast place?
Your browser must make requests and get responses for you to be able to access this material. You and the server cannot effectively communicate without the requests.

An additional way to think about an HTTP request is as a channel of communication between the user and the server. The client sends a message known as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), which aids in efficiently structuring request messages into three sections: the request line, header, and content.
As you can see, to display the content, certain HTTP requests are made each time you visit a website. As a result, a page will load more slowly the more HTTP requests it receives.
How many HTTP requests is “too many,” you might be asking. Let’s review some important numbers so you can decide where to put your WordPress website:
- Excellent results: fewer than 25 HTTP requests per page
- Maintaining healthy performance: fewer than 50 HTTP requests per page
- 70 HTTP requests are made on average over the web.
A “request” is sent to your server by the browser of the person wishing to view your website. We call this an HTTP request. The webpage is ready to be displayed as soon as your server recognizes the answer and gets going.
That becomes a little more complicated from here on out. The page cannot be immediately seen by the browser. Compilations of plug-ins and picture files are required for the page to load correctly.
How do these files get into the browser? through a series of HTTP queries. The page components won’t load if the browser doesn’t perform these queries.
Maintaining the health of your website is essential since an excessive number of HTTP requests might cause it to load slowly. In the next part, we will explain why.
Why You Should Reduce HTTP Requests?
Reducing the number of HTTP requests is what you should do to keep performance and speed high. According to Yahoo, “the front-end accounts for 80% of the end-user response time.” Put another way, because stylesheets, scripts, and pictures are all rendered through HTTP requests, they primarily impact your performance.

They are essential to content display, but the back-and-forth communication between the user and the server takes time to load. The round-trip reaction time (RTT) refers to this data round-trip.
Making fewer HTTP requests is also necessary to maintain the health of your Core Web Vitals, particularly your Largest Content Paint (LCP) KPI.
The loading speed of the first significant piece of content is determined by LCP. Everything depends on how quickly consumers see things.
The LCP score of your WordPress website is influenced by three factors: render-blocking CSS and JavaScript, slow resource load times, and slow server response times.
The secret to quicker pages is thus to minimize the amount of HTTP queries you make. Your website can load the most important content (LCP) for the user more quickly the fewer HTTP queries it makes.
To summarize:
- Your WordPress website has a lot of files. ⇒ You receive several HTTP requests.
- Large, bulky files? ← Longer HTTP requests are received.
- Extended HTTP queries → Boost the real loading duration
- Minimize your HTTP requests to improve your LCP.
Additionally, keep in mind that quicker access to your content will make it more likely that visitors will stay on the page and engage with your website.
Additionally, if they interact, they might purchase your goods. Additionally, Google will adore your website in addition to helping you avoid visitors’ discomfort.
The second important question that arises is this: how many HTTP requests is your WordPress website making?
How to Make Fewer HTTP Requests to Your Website?
Optimizing the performance of your website is essential in this context, where efficiency and speed are of importance. The reduction of HTTP requests made by your website is an essential component of this optimization.

The loading speed of your website is slowed down by each HTTP request, which could result in a worse user experience and lower engagement. Thankfully, you may use a few strategies to reduce these requests and improve the functionality of your website.
1: Evaluate your website’s functionality to identify the main issue.
You should initially get an in-depth evaluation of the general health of your website if you’re just getting started and have no idea how it’s doing.
Enter the URL of the webpage you like to audit together with your email address to use Website Grader. A beneficial, customized analysis will be sent to you that rates your website based on important parameters including SEO, mobile friendliness, overall file size, and, of course, the number of HTTP requests the page is getting.
You can use this grader to pinpoint the exact problem you think your website is suffering. For example, your objective should be to decrease the size of the media on your website rather than necessarily lowering the quantity of HTTP requests that browsers must-do if you have a low number of page requests but a large page size.
2: Verify how many HTTP requests are currently being made by your website.
Use the Network panel in Google Chrome to go deeper into these figures once you have a sense of how “big” and how many page requests your webpage is producing. Anyone can easily verify what’s on your page, how many HTTP requests the page makes, and which file is taking the longest to load with this tool.
This program first shows all the files that a browser needs to request and transfer for the page to be downloaded. It also provides an overview of the events that led up to this.
For example, you may find out exactly when the HTTP request for an image began and when the last byte of the picture was received using Google Chrome’s API. You can view what’s on your website and what’s taking a long time to load with this incredibly useful feature.
Open a specific URL in Google Chrome to view the Network panel for that page. Navigate to View > Developer > Developer Tools from the main Chrome menu at the top of your screen.
Your browser will open the Network panel. When you first access the panel, it can be empty because DevTools logs all network events during that time. To begin recording, either reload the page or wait for your application to detect network activity.
How many requests does your website need to make? That will also be shown to you on the Network panel. In the screenshot above, the total number of requests is displayed at the very bottom left; in this particular case, it is 25.
3: Eliminate Superfluous Pictures
You have to be able to tell at this point which files—including image files—are taking the longest to load. What’s the simplest approach to cut down on the number of files requested? Remove any extraneous pictures.
Due to the powerful visual impact, they provide, images are an important webpage feature. The best course of action, though, is to remove any unnecessary photos from your page, especially if they are huge and don’t add any value.
4: Make the Remaining Images’ File Sizes Smaller
Use high-quality, compressed file-size photos for the ones you do decide to save. This will help shorten the time needed to submit an HTTP request, which will shorten the load time.
You don’t need to worry too much about resizing and compressing photos if you use ARZ Host because the ARZ Host COS will take care of that for you when you upload images into your ARZ Host file management. After uploading a picture to your file manager, select “Clone and edit” to further resize it.
Recall that you can always decrease the image file size before publishing it on your website. For example, you should minimize the file sizes of any multiple photos on your webpage before publishing the page if it contains a lot of them.
We advise keeping each image’s file size under 100 KB, if at all possible. It’s okay if you have to make a compromise on this minimum depending on the image. Simply do your best to prevent any one of your files from growing larger than a megabyte (“MB”).
Use a tool like Squoosh, which was created by Google, to reduce image file sizes as much as possible without compromising image quality.
Use Squoosh’s sliding compressor meter to find the ideal balance between quality and size. The more you reduce the file size, the lower the quality of the image can get.
On the other hand, compressing each image individually can take up a lot of your valuable time. Try using TinyPNG if you want to compress multiple images at once.
5: Configure the asynchronous loading of JavaScript files on your website.
Content produced in JavaScript loads from top to bottom on many websites by default. Thus, the content that a user’s web browser receives loads piecemeal, even if it executes many HTTP requests concurrently.
This phenomenon, commonly referred to as “render-blocking,” might cause a user’s web browser to load each file more slowly, thereby slowing down the loading of your entire webpage.
This limitation can be broken by configuring your website to load JavaScript “asynchronously,” which improves user experience.
No matter where they are on the page, asynchronous loading enables website content to render numerous page elements continuously. There are lots of plugins available on WordPress that can help you in doing this.
Additionally, ARZ Host lets you customize the location of a well-known JavaScript component called “jQuery” on a webpage, saving you time while it loads. This option may be seen in the screenshot below; you can read more about it here.
6: Consider other page elements that may be affecting how long it takes for a page to load.
One excellent place to start when trying to lower HTTP requests and page load times is by cutting and compressing images. However, aside from adding requests, what else did you notice on the Network panel?
For example, you may see that connecting Twitter or playing a video causes your load time to increase by one or two full seconds. I’m glad to know that. You and your group can then choose if those assets are worthwhile to retain.
7: Group CSS Files Collectively.
Your website’s page load speed increases with each CSS file you employ by increasing the amount of HTTP requests it needs to make. In most circumstances, you can merge two or more CSS files, however, this is not always possible. (A developer may need to assist you with this.) What does this signify?
You have the option of combining several CSS files that appear similar and are listed in the HTML code of your website into a single file so that the user’s browser won’t need to make several HTTP requests to generate these files.
You can automatically incorporate many CSS files if you use ARZ Host.
You can use CSS code in any number of files or any place on your website, and it will function perfectly. In reality, the designer’s preference for working with different files is frequently the main reason a website has numerous CSS files in the first place. Check out our front-end website performance guide to find out more about merging CSS files.
How to Identify Unnecessary HTTP Requests?
Website performance is essential for user experience and search engine rankings in an environment where milliseconds matter. The quantity of HTTP requests a website generates is one of the elements that greatly affects its speed.

Web pages must load via HTTP requests, but making needless queries can slow down sites and irritate visitors. Tracking down and reducing pointless HTTP requests is essential for improving the efficiency of websites.
Every time a web browser downloads files from a server to display a web page—such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, pictures, and other resources—HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) requests take place. Usually, an individual HTTP request is needed for each file.
Although these queries are required for the proper rendering of web pages, making too many of them might cause slower loading times and worse performance.
Steps to Identify Unnecessary HTTP Requests
- Audit Your Website: Conduct a thorough audit of your website’s resources using web development tools like Google Chrome DevTools, Firefox Developer Tools, or online services like GTmetrix or Pingdom Tools. These tools provide insights into the number of HTTP requests your website makes and their associated load times.
- Analyze Third-Party Scripts: Third-party scripts, such as social media widgets, analytics trackers, and advertising scripts, often contribute to unnecessary HTTP requests. Evaluate the necessity of each script and consider removing or optimizing those that are not essential for your website’s functionality or business goals.
- Combine and Minify Files: Reduce the number of HTTP requests by combining multiple CSS and JavaScript files into a single file and minifying them to reduce their size. Minification involves removing unnecessary characters, comments, and whitespace without altering the functionality of the code.
- Optimize Images: Images are a common culprit of excessive HTTP requests, especially if they are large or uncompressed. Optimize images by resizing them to the appropriate dimensions, compressing them without sacrificing quality, and using modern image formats like WebP where supported.
- Implement Lazy Loading: Lazy loading postpones the loading of non-critical resources, such as images below the fold or off-screen elements, until they are needed. This technique reduces the initial page load time by deferring the loading of resources that are not immediately visible to the user.
- Use Browser Caching: Leverage browser caching by setting appropriate cache headers for your website’s resources. This allows browsers to store copies of resources locally, reducing the need to make repeated HTTP requests for unchanged files.
- Optimize Fonts: If your website uses custom fonts, consider optimizing their delivery by using font subsets containing only the characters needed for your content. Additionally, leverage browser caching for font files to improve load times on subsequent visits.
Monitoring and Testing
Once you’ve identified and optimized unnecessary HTTP requests on your website, it’s essential to monitor and test its performance regularly. Continuously monitor metrics such as page load time, time to first byte (TTFB), and total number of HTTP requests using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, Webpage Test, or New Relic.

Conduct A/B testing to compare the performance of different optimizations and iterate on your strategies to further improve website speed and user experience.
Identifying and minimizing unnecessary HTTP requests is crucial for optimizing website performance and enhancing user experience.
By auditing your website, analysing third-party scripts, combining and minifying files, optimizing images, implementing lazy loading, using browser caching, and optimizing fonts, you can streamline your website for faster load times and improved efficiency.
Regular monitoring and testing allow you to stay proactive in optimizing your website’s performance and ensuring a seamless browsing experience for your visitors.
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Conclusion
To display a website and provide your audience with an engaging experience, HTTP requests are necessary. On the other hand, an excessive number of HTTP requests can cause problems for your website and prevent potential clients from contacting you.
The favourable tidings? You can guarantee that browsers send fewer HTTP requests to your website by making a few easy adjustments. In the long term, you can improve a webpage’s visual appeal, speed up page loading, and eventually raise conversion rates.
Check out my consulting services and let’s discuss how I can help if you’re not sure where to begin with enhancing the functionality of your website.
Have you tried decreasing the quantity of reduce HTTP requests that your website receives? Which tactics are effective for you?
FAQS (Frequently Asked Questions)
Why should I reduce HTTP requests on my website?
Reducing HTTP requests is crucial for optimizing website performance. Each HTTP request made by a browser to fetch resources such as images, stylesheets, scripts, and other media files adds overhead and increases load times. When you reduce the number of requests, you minimize latency and improve overall page speed.
Faster loading times lead to better user experience, higher engagement, and improved search engine rankings. Additionally, reducing HTTP requests can decrease server load and bandwidth consumption, resulting in cost savings for website owners.
What strategies can I employ to reduce HTTP requests?
There are several strategies you can implement to reduce HTTP requests on your website:
- Combining files: Concatenate CSS and JavaScript files to reduce the number of individual requests. This involves merging multiple files into one, thereby minimizing HTTP overhead.
- Sprite sheets: Combine multiple images into a single sprite sheet and use CSS background positioning to display specific images. This technique reduces the number of image requests.
- Lazy loading: Load resources such as images, videos, and scripts asynchronously or on-demand as the user scrolls down the page, rather than loading everything upfront. This conserves bandwidth and speeds up initial page load times.
- Minification: Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files by removing unnecessary whitespace, comments, and redundant code. Smaller file sizes result in faster downloads and reduced HTTP requests.
- Using CDN: Utilize Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to distribute static assets across multiple servers located closer to your website visitors. This reduces latency and decreases the number of requests handled by your origin server.
How do browser caching and caching headers contribute to reducing HTTP requests?
Browser caching allows web browsers to store copies of static resources locally, such as images, CSS files, and scripts. When a user revisits your website, the browser can retrieve these resources from its cache instead of making new HTTP requests to the server.
By setting appropriate caching headers (e.g., Cache-Control, Expires, Last-Modified), you can control how long browsers should cache specific resources. Leveraging browser caching effectively reduces the number of requests to your server, improves page load times for returning visitors, and minimizes bandwidth usage.
Does reducing HTTP requests affect website functionality or user experience?
When done correctly, reducing HTTP requests should not negatively impact website functionality or user experience. In fact, optimizing performance often enhances user experience by delivering faster loading times and smoother interactions. However, it’s essential to implement optimization techniques carefully to ensure that critical resources are still loaded promptly.
Prioritize essential content and functionalities while deferring non-essential resources or loading them asynchronously. Regular testing and monitoring can help identify any potential issues and ensure that the website remains functional and user-friendly after implementing optimizations.
Are there any tools or services available to help me analyze and optimize HTTP requests on my website?
Yes, there are numerous tools and services available to assist in analyzing and optimizing HTTP requests:
- Developer Tools: Most modern web browsers offer built-in developer tools (e.g., Chrome DevTools, Firefox Developer Tools) that include network analysis features. These tools allow you to monitor HTTP requests, analyze their performance, and identify opportunities for optimization.
- PageSpeed Insights: Google’s PageSpeed Insights provides actionable recommendations for improving website performance, including suggestions for reducing HTTP requests. It evaluates your site’s speed on both mobile and desktop devices and offers insights into potential optimizations.
- GTmetrix: GTmetrix is another popular tool for analyzing website performance. It provides detailed reports on page speed, including recommendations for reducing HTTP requests, optimizing caching, and improving overall performance.
- Pingdom Tools: Pingdom Tools offers website speed testing and performance monitoring services. It provides insights into HTTP requests, page load times, and performance grades, along with suggestions for optimization.
- Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): Many CDNs offer performance optimization features, including HTTP request reduction through caching, compression, and content delivery optimizations. By leveraging a CDN, you can offload static content and improve website performance globally.